Fatal Frame III: This Dream that Connects Us
by fatalghost
Summary: Kei was brought again into the Himuro mansion,finding his niece,Mio. Otozuki Kaname, Reika's lover uses Kei as his connection for his forbidden love. Will Reika and Kaname's soul be put to Rest? KeiXOC Please review! The Final Hour is up!
1. Hour I: This Dream Again

_**Author's notes: This story is focused on Kei. I made this story because I feel sorry about Kaname and Reika's forbidden love. But in this story, I made Kei and my original character their connection... This is my first time to make a Fatal frame Fic, so please bear with me **_

Hoping for your kind reviews !

**Hour 1: "This Dream Again" **

It was cold, snow was falling, voices are everywhere…

Kei once more stepped forward into the mansion, holding the camera obscura and the flashlight with him.

"I'm coming, Mio…" Kei said as he moved forward through the Rope Hallway. Of course, fear lingers in his heart, if it wouldn't have been for Mio…He paused when he saw a different reflection of himself in the mirror. Instead of a brown jacket, it was wearing a blue, old-fashioned Kimono.

"Who…?" he whispered, as he was about to touch the mirror. He saw a crimson butterfly flutter by through the mirror.

"Mio?" he said as he followed the crimson butterfly, which led him towards the closet hallway.

" Mio!" He saw Mio ran towards the Bell hallway, but something seems to stop him. Someone…. Someone was calling him from above the stairs. He was thinking twice on what to do…. Follow Mio? Or follow the voice…?

Kei, unconsciously moved towards the stairs. And up the Kimono Room. As he entered the room with full caution, he held the camera obscura, close to him.

"There's something…" Kei muttered. Hiding behind the Kimonos, he quickly brought his camera up towards the mirror stand, but nothing was there. He walked towards the mirror.

"Why does my reflection show another person…?" he asked himself. .While looking at the mirror, he could see someone at the corner of his eye. His heart beating fast, he faced his fear and confronted it.

It was a little girl.

She seems to be doing nothing, just standing there, in front of him, wearing an old-fashioned Kimono. Kei was frozen on his place until she spoke.

_**Brother…**_

_**This way…**_

_**To the Priestess…**_

The little pacifier said as she pointed at the double doors at the end of the room.

Kei unconsciously moved forward.

_**Reika…**_

He whispered.

_**Save her…**_

Amane's parting words before she vanished. When he took the first step towards the room, he heard bells ringing. It seems that the sound was all over the room.

_**Sleep priestess, Lie in peace...**_

_**Sleep priestess, Lie in peace...**_

Faint voices of little girls singing as hammering sounds echoed through the room.

"Where... is this place?" Kei slowly stepped forward

_**If the priestess wakes from her dream...**_

Kei looked around the room, but saw nothing but complete darkness...

_**Perform the rite of stakes her limbs pinned tight...**_

"I'm going to be killed." Kei didn't think twice and immediately ran towards back the double doors for his life. But before he could open them...

_**Lest the doors open wide and suffering unleashed on all...**_

Bright Blue torches lit the room , which made Kei turn slowly to his back, only to see a wooden cage surrounded by crimson candles. Unconsciously, monochrome scenes entered his mind.

A woman in the cage reaching out to a man... but before they touched, the cage was brought down to a deep, dark area.

_**They didn't feel each other...**_

Kei unconsciously dropped his flashlight.

"Reika?" He whispered. He ran towards the cage to find a woman, wearing a white kimono and a blue hakama, fast unconscious on the cage floor.

"Rei-" he whispered as he slowly reached out and held her hand through the cage. As soon as they touched, the woman slowly opened her eyes and saw Kei.

_**Warm...**_

She glanced at his hand and gathered enough strength to hold back.

_**Reika...**_

Kei whispered while smiling. The woman eventually smiled, looking through his eyes.

The purifying lights died, and darkness spread throughout the room...

Kei froze as he heard footsteps approaching.

_**Why did that handmaiden led a man such as you to the Chamber of Thorns...**_

_**DO NOT enter the Chamber of Thorns...**_

_**You MUST NOT wake the priestess who lies asleep!**_

A voice angrily said.

Kei regained his senses and stood up, letting go of the woman. The woman stood and tried to reach out to him, but it was too late. The cage was lowered into darness... into the Abyss... Kei stood frozen, as the crimson candles went out, darkness blinding him.

_**The code must be followed...**_

_**Amane and her brother...**_

_**Kill them...!**_

Kei, overwhelmed by fear, quickly ran towards the double doors through the darkness...

_**Kill...**_

Kei sat up, panting on his bed. He was back to reality.

"What was... that dream? ... My reflection... Mio... and ... the priestess.." Kei asked. He suddenly felt could pain spreading on his back. "Aaargh..." he bent his back down and groaned in pain.

**_The curse was spreading..._ **


	2. Hour II : Ototsuki

This is the second chapter so far... hope you like it!!!

Chapter 2

Kei took a sip of his tea as he was thinking on what to write to Yuu.

_**Dear Yuu,**_

**_I had a strange dream last night... I was looking for my niece, Mio, in the same manor... There was a little girl... she called me her "brother " and my reflection..._**

Kei brought the pen down. " Should I really be bothering Yuu with this? " he asked himself. He lent his back on his chair, brushing his hair up.

" Who was that... woman?" he asked himself. He closed his eyes in deep thought.

_**TING! TING! TING! TING!**_

Kei slowly opened his eyes when he heard hammering sounds.

"That...sound..." he quickly sat up and looked around his office.

_**Nothing...**_

He suddenly froze dead when he heard hammering just behind him. A long haired girl, hammering a stake stood behind him.

_**Kaname Ototsuki...**_

_**He must not set the priestess free...**_

_**Kill him...!**_

Kei sat up, back to reality. "Kaname... Ototsuki...?" He said. he stood up as he remembered his reflection on the mirror.

_**Who is this... Kaname...? **_

**Night Beckoned...**

Kei stood infront of his bed. "if I sleep, I will have the same dream... the handmaiden... and the woman in the cage... but Mio..." Kei didn't think twice and went to sleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Hour II : Ototsuki**

Kei ended up infront of the double doors. He tried to open them, but it was sealed by some strong power, and someone was crying...

He felt someone watching him from behind... It was that girl again.

" You..." Kei said as he turned to her. "Follow me..." the girl said as she went down to the closet hallway. "Wait! Do you know why this is happening?!" Kei asked as he followed the pacifier down the Bell Hallway. Kei paused as he saw the crimson butterfly flutter towards the Hall with Tatami.

"Mio!" Kei followed the crimson butterfly, but the door was locked. "Mio..."

"Over here..." the pacifier said, standing before the Projector room. Kei slowly walked towards her, but she vanished.

_**If you want to know the truth...**_

_**Step forward...**_

Kei gathered his courage and entered the projector room. As soon as he stepped inside, the projector ran.

_**In my dreams...**_

A woman said and flashes of pictures of a man sitting, wearing a blue kimono.

_**"Kaname..."**_

And then it was turned off.

"Kaname... Ototsuki..." Kei echoed...

_**You must not set the priestess free!!!**_

Kei turned around and saw a long haired pacifier, the one that he saw in his dream that afternoon. The priestess moved forward, evading him. Kei quickly took the camera obscura, but he was imapled by the pacifier.

_**Kaname Must die...!**_

Hisame said as she continued to impale Kei. Kei struggled to remove himself from Hisame's impalement, and succeeded. Hisame triggered herself to impale Kei, but Kei finally shot her with a type 90 film. Doing this, Hisame dropped a key, with a rain symbol on it. Kei slowly took the key and observed it.

"This key..." Kei said as he recalled that symbol.

_**The Kimono Room...**_

Kei, filled with caution, walked up the stairs to the Kimono room. he walked past the hanging kimonos towards the mirror stand. There he saw a purple diary lying on the dresser.

_**Amane said she'll do her best to see her brother.**_

_**Even if he's a forbidden child, still she doesn't think of the consequences that might happen. **_

_**Amane is now waiting...**_

_**Waiting for his return...**_

"Amane? " Kei said. He felt that he was being watched again. Kei turned to his right to see the pacifierthat has been calling him.

"you're..." Kei walked towards the pacifier... "There's not much time ... hurry..." Amane said as she passed through the attic. Kei was determined. If this could help him save Mio...

He took hold of the knob. The door was locked. It shows a rain symbol on the key hatch. Kei took the key that he picked up earlier and opened the door. The area was low and narrow for a guy like him.

"if i can learn something from here..." Kei said to himself as he walked forward. He stopped as soon as he reached the beams.

Kei's attention turned to a box lying on one side. To his curiosity, he walked towards it.

_**A cage...**_

Kei said. Different thoughts lingered in kei's mind. There was a girl... crying in that cage...

_**TING! TING! **_

Kei's eyes widened.

_**I found you...**_

Hisame said as she attacked Kei. "Aaah!!!" kei nearly lost his balance due to the impalement, but he managed to get free and walked over to the windows.

"Kill Kaname..." Hisame said as she evaded once again. Before she could touch him, Kei took the opportunity to shoot her with the camera obscura.

_Its cold..._

Hisame cried as she vanished, leaving an undeveloped photo. Panting, Kei slowly brought the camera down. He saw Amane once again, walked through the little door on the left side. He followed her, and slowly opened the door. It was empty. But he could hear something... A voice...

Kei saw the hole on the floor and slowly peeked through. To his surprise, it was that woman...That woman he saw in his last dream.

She was helplessly lying inside the cage, in a deep sleep.

"Who could this woman be...?" he asked himself. He felt his heart beat fast as the woman slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him with deep, sorrowful eyes.

_A Priestess..._

_Reika...?_

Kei opened his eyes back to reality and slowly sat up his bed.

"Who is that woman...? Could she possibly have something to do with Mio... and Amane..." kei asked many questions... but sitting there won't solve anything... Kei felt the pain spread again on his back, and to his shoulders...

_God... why is this happening...?_

_Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

_Author's Notes:_

_Hey FF3 fans... how are ya doing???? hehe... I'm also looking forward to ff4... _


	3. Hour III : The Right Path

Chapter 3

Kei stared at his shirtless form at the mirror.

_**You shouldn't have come…**_

Voices called out deep inside him. Because of this, Kei leaned forward with his hand on the mirror and closed his eyes.

The voices eventually disappeared and Kei slowly opened his eyes to find another reflection.

It was **THAT **reflection again. Kei was frozen with fear. His eyes moved down to his hand, which was surprisingly being grasped by that reflection. When Kei finally returned to his senses, he took himself away from the mirror and stared at his hand.

"What was…" Kei whispered. When he turned back to the mirror, he saw his normal reflection again.

"I'm hallucinating. " Kei sighed as he brushed his hair up. Kei heavily exhaled as he removed his remaining clothes and took a bath.

" I need to find more about that woman."

Kei waited for the undeveloped film to be developed. He waited there, staring at the sink for a long time, disturbed by his thoughts. He took the film out, showing a place that was very familiar to him.

_Could this place be inside the manor?_

He sighed. Nothing good ever happens when he sleeps. He couldn't even get enough rest… But Mio and that woman… he laid the camera obscura on his desk and went to sleep.

**Hour 3: The Right Path**

Kei slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying on the wooden floor of the confinement room.

"This dream again…" Kei sighed as he slowly brought himself together and stood up. Glancing at the peeping hole on the floor, he froze, stunned by what he saw. The cage was no longer there! Where could it have gone? Kei picked up the pace and went out of the room.

_He wants to know more…_

_What does she have to do with the manor?_

_Why does she appear in my dreams?_

_Why are all this happening…?_

As soon as he went out of the attic, he heard a faint cry coming from behind the blinds.

"What is that…?" He slowly walked through the kimonos and took the camera obscura up. He saw a woman crying behind the blinds. To his nervousness, he pressed the button and took the shot. To his surprise, the woman was now infront of him, grabbing his shoulders. Kei nearly dropped the camera obscura, but he managed to run behind the kimonos.

Kei quickly changed his film into type zero and went out of his hiding place. SHE WAS GONE!

Kei brought the camera down and walked backwards, searching the room. The he saw pale, bloody hands holding him from behind. Kei moved away from her and quickly took the shot!

_**Kaname… **_

_**My Son…**_

****The woman cried out as she vanished, leaving Kei an earring. Kei slowly picked the earring up, while flashbacks entered his mind.

A veiled woman running to the outer village, it was a dark starless night. She was carrying a child in her arms… She seems to be leaving the child in the outskirts of the village. The woman cried as she left the child with an earring.

_**Be strong….**_

_**Kaname….**_

****It was over. Kei just stood there, staring at the earring on his palm.

"Kaname…. He was a forbidden child… " Kei said to himself. "Could Kaname be…" Kei stood there as he turned to the mirror which was showing a different reflection.

_**Brother…**_

****Kei suddenly turned to the voice. It was that pacifier, Amane.

"amane?" Kei asked, Amane went through Kei, leading him to the Bell Hallway. As soon as she entered the hallway, Mio was running towards the Grave Courtyard!

"Wha… Mio!" Kei hurriedly followed after his niece, but when he reached the intersection between the four doors, he saw Amane walk past through the projector room. Ke's thoughts were confused.

_**If I follow Mio, I'll be able to save her…**_

_**If I follow Amane, I'll be able to know more about this Manor…**_

****Before Kei could even move, he was taken back to reality.

Kei sat up, catching his breath, his mind a little fuzzy. Before anything else, he arched his back down due to the cold pain of the curse which reached his shoulders.

_**Mio…**_

Kei bit his lip, wondering how long he could endure the pain.

_**Amane…**_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Author's Note: **

**Sorry it took me a long time to update. Thanks for reviewing my fanfiction, although its so much centered on Kei because my favorite character is Kei… omg… why does every male character in fatal frame has to die?! Sniff sniff! KEEEI!!! **


	4. Author's Notes

**Author's Notes:**

**Hey there… I'm very sorry FF3 and Kei fans… I haven't uploaded this story yet… but don't worry! I'm working on the next chapter! XD I appreciate your reviews! Luv yu!!! XD **


	5. Hour IV: The Sign

**Author's Notes:**

**Hey guys! I'm back! I wanna thank you all for keeping me inspired about this fanfiction XD. Yes, I replayed fatal frame too just to watch Kei get up and see the rising sun. Yes!! And now, With honor, I present to you, the 4****th**** hour. Enjoy!! **

**Chapter 4**

Kei wasn't himself. He just kept catching his breath, staring at one thing, the clock which just striken 7 pm. He remembers that he's still working in his office.

"Mr. Amakura?"

Suddenly, his secretary came knocking at his door.

"What is it, Mika?" he asked. Then, a woman with long brown hair with bangs entered his office, carrying a cup of coffee.

"The weather's getting cold so I presume you might want a cup of coffee.." she said with a worried expression on her face. Kei just paused for a while and stared at the cup of coffee.

**+-+-+-**

"Its so embarrassing for you to take me out on a coffee, Mr. Amakura." Mika said as she looked up at Kei who was at the chair infront of her.

"It's alright… I needed time to relax too." Kei answered, and just took a sip of the coffee.

"Uhm…. Sir..? Is it alright if I ask you a question?" Mika said.

Kei paused for a while, cause he did not quite hear his secretary speaking for he had his mind wandering about. "Sure. What is it?"

"Are you alright sir? Seems like you're not yourself this past few weeks." Mika asked, with pure concern within her.

Kei sighed at first, not knowing what to answer, and having to hold his forehead with his palm.

"Mr. Amakura?" she asked, again.

"You know what, Mika? I'm really lucky to have a caring secretary like you." Kei answered, out of nowhere with a smile.

"S-sir?" Mika blushed, as she couldn't believe her ears.

"I'll be fine.." Kei added.

The two just watched the night pass them by, the busy streets, at least it was something that got Kei out of his nightmares. Just living in the normal city, no ringing of the bells, and no children singing. What more can one need to relax his mind?

_**Ting!**_

Kei suddenly snapped back to reality when he heard a tingling of a bell.

"Mr. Amakura? What is it?" Mika asks. Little does she know, that a child carrying a hammer is right behind her, wearing those old Japanese tradition dusty kimono of a priestess, and wearing a smirk on her face.

"Mika!" Kei acted quickly enough to pull his secretary out of her chair. Out of the fuss, Mika's envelope fell to the ground and her files were all scattered on the floor. Even the other people took their time to look at the two.

"Mr. Amakura, are you alright?!" she asked, but Kei was still looking at the direction where he last saw the pacifier.

"Mr. Amakura?!" she called, once again, this time, catching Kei's attention.

"Are you-…?" she asked. Kei wasn't able to speak, thus, stammered.

"I-I… I-I'm s-sorry…. I… must be…" he shook his head, before noticing the pile of papers on the ground.

"I'm really sorry to have caused you such a mess." He finally straightened himself out and got himself to help Mika.

While he was busying himself picking up the papers on the ground with his secretary, a photo from the envelope somewhat startled him.

_**This woman…**_

He picks the photo only to realize that it was that woman who haunts him in his dreams every night. The woman inside the cage seeking for help.

"Mika..? Do you… know her?" he asked as he turned to his secretary who was standing up.

"Raikka… my best friend.." Mika replied.

"Where is she..? Is she alright?" Kei asked, as he clearly remembered what was happening inside the Manor of Sleep. Seeing that woman there, something must be wrong. The Manor is a passage for the souls to cross the rift… therefore seeing her there must mean something.

"S-she…" Mika wasn't able to clear her head to get a straight answer.

"Mika?"

"She had a car accident with her family. Fortunately, her brothers and parents are alright, but something seems to be wrong with her. It's her fourth night of not waking from her sleep. Her parents have tried calling a specialist, and a doctor about it. Still… they can't seem to find what's wrong with her." Mika explained the whole thing to her friend.

"Mika, do you know where she lives?" Kei asked.

"I have a photo of her home with her address written on the back…" Mika said as she reached inside her bag, but no prevail.

"Strange… I'm sure that I have that photo with me today.. where could it have been…?"

Kei's eyes widened.

_**Could it be that… **_

_**That pacifier…**_

Kei stared at the bed, who was just staring back at him, welcoming him to the Manor of Sleep. There are a lots of questions that still hasn't been answered. And he's determined to look for that answers for himself. The answers that are just waiting for him to discover them, just waits behind the gates and the walls of the Manor…

**44444444444444444444444444**

**HOUR IV: THE SIGN**

**44444444444444444444444444**

Kei wakes up at the flickering light of the faint flashlight infront of him. Opening his eyes, everything was pitch black. He couldn't see a thing, only the clanging of the bells of the bell hallway was heard, and the flashlight was flickering out. Yes, he woke up in the middle of the bell hallway. He looks around, he could see nothing but darkness around. He somehow feels fear shaking inside his heart, then he takes hold of his flickering flashlight, which he takes hold infront, illuminating the object infront of him. Seeing nothing but a face that has been buried on the wall, showing fear and grief. The eyes of the man was already gone , perhaps it has been there a long time ago.

Kei couldn't say a word, and out of his fear, takes a few steps back. Feeling something takes hold of his shoulders from his back, he turns around and sees the pale white face of a priestess.

_**Save yourself…**_

The words he heard after his flashlight has lost its power. Then the clanging of the bells in the bellhallway.

_**Sleep priestess lie in peace…**_

_**Sleep priestess lie in peace…**_

_**If the priestess wakes from her dream…**_

_**Perform the rite of stakes her limbs pinned tight…**_

_**Lest the doors open wide and suffering unleashed on all…**_

Kei heard the same song that has been playing in his dreams and his mind for these past few days. The songs of the children singing lullabies of death.

The candles that has been dead turned somehow alive with their fires, with Kei staring at the door towards the Graveyard.

_**Please…**_

_**Whoever you are…**_

_**Save yourself…**_

Someone was calling out. Someone who knows that he is Kei. Not another person, or not another ghost of the past. She knows… she knows that he is… _Real_…

Kei snapped back to reality. He looked around. It was the normal bell hallway. The silent bell hallway without the bells clanging and the childrens' singing… all gone…

"Who is she…"

Kei started picking himself up and turned his flashlight on to start moving.

"That woman… she's trapped…" he told himself as he finds himself confused on what to follow. His niece or the priestess whose seeking his help.

Since the door towards the graveyard is locked, he needs to find another path to reach that certain area of the manor. One step at a time, he finds himself looking for another path towards the graveyard. He passed through the stairs , up to the room where he encountered the Brushing Woman. The room was empty, to his surprise, but he still kept the Camera Obscura close to him.

Closing the door, he went down the stairs to proceed to the place where the Sacred tree is. As soon as he was passing through the hall, a shivering voice was heard.

"Must save the priestess… must save…"

Kei turned to his left to find a soul that looks like one of the spirits of the people that he saw earlier at the procession.

"The priestess, where is she..?" he tried to ask, but the ghost just repeated what he said over and over. Seems like he was scared of something. He tried to take a shot of it, but seems like the camera didn't catch it. The picture definitely appeared empty. Kei paused for a while and was startled as soon as the ghost gasped in fear.

"She's …. Coming… she's coming…"

Kei brought his brows together to think of what was going on. Then a familiar sound of the bell tinkled. Kei's eyes widened. He knew that sound… the pacifiers…

There were two bells…

One that was calming and one that was summoning fear. Kei slowly turned to his left to find the ponytailed pacifier that was bidding him to follow her. His feet suddenly moved by their own, and followed the little girl who was bidding him to follow her towards the sacred tree. Before he could open the door, he could hear a dragging sound. The man he saw was being dragged away by that pacifier with her bangs covering her face.

"Must Kill…" she murmured…

Kei knew the fate of the man. But still , opened the door.

To his surprise, he met the empty dark eyes of the Kuze head. Just infront of him.

_**You must not disturb the priestess who lies asleep…!**_

Then a flash.

Jerking himself up, he was staring towards his desk, with the light on.

Catching his breath, he can still see the eyes of the Kuze head in his mind. It was… scary.

He held his face with his palm, then suddenly arching his back to feel the cold curse spreading up to his shoulders. He moaned and gasped with the cold pain that he was feeling.

_**This was the first time, **_

_**That I was scared for my life…**_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	6. Hour V: Confinement

**Author's Notes:**

**Hmmm, I played fatal frame earlier, and I read some of the diaries of the pacifiers… Seems that Amane's Diary interested me for a bit so, I got a few datas to add to my story. Anyway, please enjoy the 5****th**** hour! **

**Chapter 5**

Kei got his folders and laptop and headed to work. Sighing, another night has passed, not knowing whether he's got enough time to save people or himself, still, many questions are lingering inside his mind. When he got to his office, it's the same atmosphere. But Mika seems to be late. Her desk is still empty. She was never late before… maybe last night did take some of her energy, and she needed more time to rest, he just told himself as he proceeded to his office.

He sat himself down and opened his laptop to continue his research about the Manor of Sleep and some other things connected to the manor.

Clicking here and there, he found a lot of sites concerning cultural beliefs and legends of the towns and shrines of Japan, but none of these answers his many questions in his mind. Not that people would put them in the web. These things and information will only bring back memories… unwanted memories…

He sighed, knowing that these things are dangerous, but still, he wants to save Mio… and that other woman… he leaned forward to his desk and massaged his temples. He was getting so tired now.

"Mr. Amakura?"

Kei was startled as he heard Mika's voice.

"Come in."

His secretary came in with a cup of coffee as usual. He somewhat finds it calming for someone to smile warmly at him like that.

"I'm sorry I'm late sir… I brought you a cup of coffee…" she said as she put the cup of coffee infront of her boss.

"Thanks Mika. I really appreciate it." Kei returned a smile and after a few moments, got his fingers working on the keyboard again.

Mika stared at him for a while with a lonely look on her face. Kei eventually noticed this.

"What is it?" he asked. "Why don't you take a seat for a while?"

Mika did as she was told and she just stared down at the clutches of her hands.

"Is something the matter?" Kei asked.

"Mr. Amakura, I didn't mean to, I…"

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I looked at some of your researches. Its something about the Manor of Sleep, right?" she asked. Kei was quite shocked. How could his secretary possibly know about the Manor? Could she be…

"I have this book here… it's a present from my grandfather who currently passed away." She got something from her bag and showed it to Kei. It seemed like it was a very old book. Its cover was worn out and the papers were so yellow. But some of the writings are readable.

"I was very interested in legends and stories when I was a child. And I seem to be curious about it as I was before. Since Raikka's accident, I…"

Kei's eyes widened. This couldn't be.

"Don't tell me…" He paused.

"When you long for someone, that feeling of longingness will take you to the Manor…" Mika paused. "I have been longing for my best friend for a long time now…"

"Mika, you have to let go of these thoughts! " Kei said as he held his secretary's shoulders.

"You can't… go further in…" Kei whispered.

"Raikka has been calling me… calling me further! "

"She isn't! She wants you to save yourself! As… she told me to." Kei paused.

"She.. told you…?" Mika echoed as she heard her boss say something about her friend.

"Mika, you should take a break from all this." Kei said as he held the book that his secretary gave him.

"I'll save her." The words that he said.

It was raining. Kei rested his head on a pillow and looked out at his clear window. It was raining. He sighed, and eyed the book to find more about the secrets of the Manor. It doesn't make sense… what was happening inside the manor is more than enough. It bared so much sufferings for other people, and their loved ones. People aren't meant to be sacrificed… as he turned the page of the book, he noticed that a page was missing. There seems to be a special ritual other than the Tattoo Ritual…

**+Ritual to Aid the Priestess+**

**If the previous priestess is staked,**

**And somewhat woke from her slumber,**

**An aid from the Human World will be sent,**

**And as the crying soul of the previous priestess will descend**

**The – **

Missing page. Mika couldn't have possibly tore it off. Kei said to himself as he put a bookmark on the said page. Just by closing his eyes, he could see the manor. He surely won't go back on his words. He promised Mika that he'll save her no matter what. That he'll save Raikka.

**5555555555555555**

**Hour V: Confinement**

**5555555555555555**

Kei woke up at the Sacred Tree. What was he doing there? What happened even before he woke up at the Sacred Tree? He doesn't remember. All he could remember was… faces.. and … Amane…

**She has been waiting… **

**All alone…**

Kei realized that she has been all alone these years, in solitude. In pain.

"Brother…" The pigtailed pacifier appeared before him.

"Save her…" she begged, with tears nearly dropping from her eyelids.

"Amane…" Kei whispered as he stood up and approached the little girl.

Looking up at her brother, she stayed there, until she felt arms wrap around her and embraced her tightly. Her brother was holding her in her arms.

"Brother…."

"Amane… "

**Sleep priestess lie in peace…**

**Sleep priestess lie in peace…**

A voice of a child can be heard, singing, all alone.

When Kei came to his senses, he was holding nothing but a straw doll.

**If the priestess wakes from her dream…**

That lullaby…

Kei got alarmed and hurriedly got the Camera Obscura to take a shot of Hisame who was about to impale him. Hisame backed off at the damage of the film, and Kei managed to find a nice angle to save himself from Hisame.

**The priestess must not be disturbed…**

Hisame brushed towards Kei , but he was alert. He took his final shot at Hisame and managed to defeat her.

**Mistress…**

**I'm sorry…**

With his final shot, the photo was undeveloped. It was kind of blurry and the outlines are not clear. Kei took time to keep it in his inventory and went on, still keeping the doll with him. Kei heard a sound of the bell, Amane's bell, leading him to the closet hallway.

_**I've been waiting… **_

_**And waiting…**_

Kei heard a woman's voice as soon as he closed the door of the closet hallway. The voice came from upstairs. He hurried with his flashlight on and walked up the stairs towards the Kimono Room. A woman sitting infront of her dresser mirror was weeping.

"You said you would come back…" she whispered over and over again. Kei could hear his heartbeat as he brought the camera closer to him and the woman. As he stepped closer, the wooden floor creaked, and the woman turned to him.

"Who's theeere…?" she asked in a low tone of voice.

Kei didn't speak. Fear was overwhelming him. He slowly showed himself and brought the camera up. The woman just stared blankly at him. Not moving.

"Why isn't she…" Kei asked himself as he took the shot of the woman. After the shot, she just vanished. Kei approached the dresser, curious on what the woman was looking at. It was a gate key. Kei looked closely at it.

"She was… lonely…" Amane whispered as she passed by Kei, and headed up towards the stairs to the big doors.

"Amane!" Kei hurried and followed the pacifier who vanished after she entered the doors. He checked it, it was locked. He stared at the key that he just found at the dresser of the crying woman. He used it and unlocked the door.

Upon opening it, he saw a huge cage, sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by tattoed candles that obtained blue flames. Amane was there, sitting infront of the cage. Seems that someone was talking to her, confiding.

"You were trapped in this memory too. Forever." She said. "It wasn't my will to be in this place. I know how you must feel."

"It is my duty to guide you before the ritual…" Amane answered.

**+The Sending Off+**

**Every aid must cut her connections to the human world,**

**And confides with the maiden all her thoughts.**

**The one who disturbs the said cleansing will be staked, **

**and suffering will be unleashed.**

"Raikka!" Kei called out.

"I wanted to see him … if it were in my power… to see him once again…" the priestess whispered to the maiden as she held the wooden bars of her cage.

"Just once more…"

"Once more…"

**+The Spreading of the Tattoo+**

**Once the aid has finished confiding her connections and thoughts,**

**The snake and the holly will spread**

**Pierce through her skin , **

**And empty her dark eyes with mirror, **

**And the snake will eat all her sufferings,**

**With her soul**

Slowly, the tattooes from her arms crawled up to her neck, legs and face, and alas, her eyes. Leaving it dark and empty.

"I'm ready…"

"No… you can't do this… RAIKKA! Wake up!" Kei called out and ran towards the wooden cage. His tattooes were spreading rather vividly and fast.

"You can't!"he said as soon as he took hold of the wooden bars, the woman's eyes widened.

" You won't be sacrificed… I'll save you… I won't let them… " Kei paused.

Everything turned monochrome as Kaname's spirit called out with Kei's.

"I won't let them… hurt you…"

Kaname whispered as Reika turned up to look at him.

"…Kaname…"

"Raikka!" Kei called out once more. His tattoo was spreading all over, cold pain overwhelms him.

"I'm going to … save you…"

His words affected Raikka , and the tattoes from her eyes forfeited back to her arms and finally vanished.

"Who…?"

"Amakura… Kei… Amakura…" Kei whispered.

_**Why did that handmaided led a man such as you to this place…**_

_**You must not disturb the priestess who lies asleep!!**_

Amane stood up and turned at the gates. The mistress was there. Yashu Kuze.

One by one, the purifying lights died. The ropes of the cage began to move.

"Raikka!" Kei reached out his hand and managed to take hold of Raikka's.

_**They touched…**_

But it was too late. The cage was lowered into complete darkness. Kei was staring down at the dark abyss.

Yashu approached Kei, carrying an axe with her.

"You must not disturb the priestess who lies asleep."

Amane knew the fate of her brother and called out to him.

"Brother!"

Kei turned to his back to meet the Kuze Family head. His eyes widened.

_**Please… **_

_**Save yourself…**_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	7. Final Hour: Survivor

**Final Hour: Survivor**

"Brother!" Amane called out as she knew the fate of her brother.

Blood gushed from Kei's head as Yashu hit him with the axe at the back of his head. Kei stared blankly at the abyss, before his body followed after him.

"No…" Amane whispered, as she was grabbed by the arm by the mistress. She shall be punished for breaking the code, and Yashu left the Room locking both gates closed.

Raikka looked down on Kei as blood gushed to the ground.

"Kei…" she whispered, as tears slowly run down her eyes and her tattooes began to spread slowly to her neck and face.

_**I don't want to see anymore…**_

"In my dreams…I always see you…" Kei whispered as he slowly opened his hand to reveal a bell that he received from Amane earlier at the Sacred tree.

"I wanted… to hear your voice…Raikka…"

Slowly, the cage opened itself releasing the captive.

"Kei… KEI!!" Raikka hurriedly went out of the cage and went to Kei's aid.

"_**Kaname… I'm…"**_

Raikka slowly held Kei in her arms and cried.

"_**It's alright… to close your eyes now…"**_

"Mr. Amakura?" Mika said as she entered Kei's office with a cup of coffee.

The office was empty.

"Sir Amakura…?" Mika hurried to Kei's desk and found a letter, addressed to her. She took It in her hands and dropped the cup as she read the letter.

"Kei…"

The sound of the television woke her up from her bed. Its been so long since one last turned on the television. She got up and went to the Living Room to find Miku watching the news.

"Miku? What is it?"

"Its… Kei…"

"Here we are infront of the residence of the Journalist, Mr. Kei Amakura, who has been researching about different cultures and legends of the 'Manor of Sleep'. His body was found lifeless this morning by Mika Hanazawa, his secretary. " The reporter said her script as they showed a footage of the Amakura residence.

Rei gasped as she watched the news, and slowly went down the stairs.

"Kei…?"

"Meanwhile, Raikka Minato, the only daughter of the couple that died from the car accident has gained consciousness this morning, after the death of Mr. Amakura. Is this coincidence somehow? Or fate?"

The doctor called his nurses as the heart rate of his patient decreased.

"Clear!" the doctor tried to help his patient with the Defibrillator, but no matter how many times they tried to save her, she just lay there still, not breathing. The doctor shook his head as he sighed.

"Ms. Mio Amakura's gone. " he declared.

The clerk slowly opened the door of the morgue to let Mika and Raikka in.

"You're here to see the body of Mr. Amakura?" he asked as he checked his file.

"Please, doctor." Raikka whispered as she lowered her head. Mika understood what her best friend felt and remained silent. She didn't know that keeping promises would take so much. Even life.

"Here." The doctor slowly opened the cell where Kei's body has been kept.

Raikka stared down at the lifeless body of the one who saved her from her nightmares. He looks like he's just sleeping soundly. Mika stepped backwards as she couldn't bear to see the dead body of her boss.

Raikka leaned towards Kei's body and cried.

"Thank you…" she whispered. He didn't answer. She couldn't help but cry even more, leaning towards Kei's chest, she cried.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Rai.." Mika tried to comfort her friend as she pat her on her shoulders.

Raikka paused as she heard the tingling of a bell.

It was the same bell that she hears every night in her dreams.

She slowly got Kei's hand and opened it to reveal the bell of the handmaiden Amane.

"**I don't want to see anymore…"**

**+ THE END+**

**Author's Notes:**

**Yup. That's the end of it. BUT! If you want, I can make an alternate ending or what they call as 'good ending'. Haha.. Anyway, I really appreciate for your support for this fanfic! ******** Anyway, If you want an alternate ending, you could always tell me through reviews. :D Anyway, I'll be signing off! Thank you, really! **


End file.
